Means for cleaning water-pipes.



R. P. HILL.

MEANS FOR CLEANING WATER PIPES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1912.

1,090,059. Patented Mar. 10, 19m

2 BHBETHHEET l.

mLuMmA PLANOGHAIII c0. WASHINGTON, n. c.

R. P. HILL.

MEANS FOR CLEANING WATER PIPES. APPLICATION FILED 11111.22, 1912.

1,090,059, Patented Mar. 10, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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RICHARD PARKER HILL, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

MEANS FOR CLEANING WATER-PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed January 22, 1912. Serial No. 672,756.

1 0 all whom it may COIL/3GP,

Be it known that I, RICHARD PARKER HILL, a subject of His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 5 Ireland, resident of the city of Auckland, in

the Provincial District of Auckland and Dominion of New Zealand, land agent, have invented Improved Means for Cleaning VVater-Pipes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved means for. rcmovingthe accumulation of rust and dirt from the inside surface of water mains, and which is capable of cleaning around and passing any obstruction such as the intersection with the main, of a branch service pipe.

A scraper having spring pressed blades, is mounted on the end of a rod and projected into the water main, the rod being adapted to be rotated and projected farther into the main as desired, by mechanism hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which consist of eight figures Figure 1 is a side elevation, shown broken, of the complete machine used for cleaning a water main, a portion of a pipe being shown broken to disclose the scraper in position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view of one of the rails and bot tom bars of the traveling carrier, showing means for preventing the carrier from leaving the track when power is applied. Fig. 5 is a side view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view showing the construction of the scraper. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a form of guide or support to be placed on the scraper rod to keep the same in the center of the main.

The scraper (see Figs. 1 and 6) consists of curved arms A, preferably two, pivotally secured to the rod B at one end by a bolt or pin B. The outer ends of the arms A terminate in flat portions A through which passes a bolt C. Surrounding the bolt C and between the flat portions A of the arms A, is a coiled spring D, for the purpose of keeping the blades E, which are secured to the arms A at their widest portion by bolts E, pressed hard against the inside surface of the main F. Slots E are formed in the blades E to enable them to be adjusted as required.

The rod B is coupled to a shaft G mounted in bearings G hung from a traveling carrier H. The carrier I'l provided with grooved wheels I and is mounted on the rails J of a suitable track and carries on its upper portion sha't'ts K and L. A. crank handle M is fitted to the shaft K, or other power may be applied thereto for the purpose of transmitting motion to the shaft L by means of toothed or other gearing N N. and also to the lower shaft G by means of gearing such as sprocket wheels 0 and chain P.

Formed integral with the gear wheel N or secured thereto is a drum or barrel R j on which is wound a rope S led around a pulley S on the carrier H and one of the ;two pulleys S at the ends of the rails J, and fastened to the front of the carrier H.

The machine is adapted to be held firmly to the pipe or main F by means of the holders T secured one at each end of the rails J, and formed with the part T separate so as to allow the holder being placed around the pipe or main and its parts bolted together. A screw bolt U is also provided at each end of the rails J, projecting diagonally downward and carrying a hooked rod V slidably mounted thereon, the hooked end of which grips the and of the pipe or main F, on the nut V being screwed up.

To prevent the carrier I-l leaving the rails J or tilting on power being applied, grooved wheels W (Figs. 1, l and are provided to engage the bottom edges of both of the rails J, said wheels 7 being mounted at the bottom end of curved slotted arms 7' which are secured to the bottom bars H of the carrier H, by means of thumbscrews and studs 7 Supports or guides (4 (Figs. 1, 7 and 8) are also provided, to be placed on the rod B inside the pipe or main F, at suitable distances apart, for the purpose of keeping the rod B in the center of the pipe or main, small wheels or rollers I) being mounted thereon to ease the movement of the rod.

In use, a suflicient portion of the main F is removed to enable the scraper to be inserted thereinto and the holders T clamped firmly in position around the main F, the hooked rod V gripping the end of same on the nut V being screwed up, preventing any movement of the rails when the power is applied. On the shaft K being caused to revolve either by means of the crank handle M, or other power, the shaft G is rotated through the sprocket wheels 0 and chain P, causing the scraper to revolve inside the main F. At the same time, the drum R revolves through the toothed gear wheels N N, winding in the rope S, and causes the scraper on the end of the rod B to be pro jected farther into the main F while revolving. To pass any obstruction such as a branch service pipe, which will project into the main, and at the same time to clean all around it, the pinion N is adapted to be slid out of mesh with the gear wheel N, and the shaft K rotated as far as possible in either direction as the obstruction will allow, the carrier being pushed forward as is found necessary. removed by the blades E will be passed over, the spring D allowing forthe compression of the arms A. On the carrier H reaching the end of the rails J, the rod B will be uncoupled from the shaft G, the carrier pushed back and another length of the rod B inserted between the spindle G and portion of the rod carrying the scraper. This operation can be repeated until the main has been cleaned as far as desired. When the main has been cleaned as far as possible in one direction, the carrier H can be turned to work in the reversedirection by removing the wheels W and unreeving the rope S from the pulley S and reeving it through the pulley S at the opposite end, when the operation will be the same as that hereinbefore described.

Although the above description relates solely to water mains the invention is not Any formation too hard to be limited to such, as it may be used for any class of pipes or mains liable to be incrusted.

Having now fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A pipe-cleaning machine comprising a track, a traveling carrier mounted thereon, a pair of horizontal shafts journaled in the upper portion of said carrier, a lower horizontal shaft journaled. in said carrier, a scraper coupled to said lower shaft, toothed gearing between said upper shafts, chain gearing between one of the upper shafts and said lower shaft, a pulley mounted at one end of the track, a drum secured to the other upper shaft, a rope passed around said pulley and connected at one end to said carrier and at the other end to said drum and adapt ed to be wound up on the latter, when the drum-shaft is rotated, and a crank handle connected to one of said upper shafts.

2. A pipe-cleaning machine comprising a track adapted to be clamped to the pipe, a traveling carrier mounted thereon, a plurality of shafts jo'urnaled in said carrier, a scraper coupled to one of said shafts and adapted for insertion into said pipe, a drum secured to another of said shafts, a rope .con-' 1 nected with one end of said track and adapted to be wound up on said drum when the drum-shaft is rotated, to draw said carrier along said track, and means for rotating said shafts in unison.

' RICHARD PARKER HILL. Witnesses:

GEORGE WILLIAM BARLEY,

I-IILDA MAY FROUDE.

Copies oi! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentu, Washington. 13.6. 

